William Latimer

Early life and education

Latimer was born in Schenectady, New York in 1963. He graduated Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa from Hobart and William Smith Colleges in 1985 with a double major in English and Psychology having studied American Literature with John Lydenberg. During his Master’s education at Columbia University he was introduced to cognitive and educational psychology by Dr. Joanna Williams which was to partially shape his NIH-funded research in later years focusing on the development of cognitive executive functions to promote health equity and resilience in vulnerable populations. He received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Rhode Island (1993), completed his internship at Albany Medical College with Mike Nichols, Ph.D. (1993), a post-doctoral fellowship in the Division of Pediatrics and Adolescent Health at the University of Minnesota Children's Hospital with Robert Blum, M.D., Ph.D. (1995), and a Master’s in Public Health in Epidemiology from the University of Minnesota (2000).

Academic career

Latimer was named the founding dean of the City University of New York, Lehman College School of Health Sciences, Human Services and Nursing effective September 1, 2014. Prior to his appointment as dean, he was the inaugural Elizabeth Faulk Chair of Clinical and Health Psychology at the University of Florida, College of Public Health and Health Professions (2011-2014), Assistant and Associate Professor of Mental Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (2000-2011) and Research Associate at the University of Minnesota, Institute on Community Integration, College of Education and Human Development (1995-2000). He completed his post-doctoral training in adolescent health at the University of Minnesota Children’s Hospital, Division of Pediatrics and Adolescent Health (1993-1995) which culminated in a Scientist Development Award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Research

Latimer has published over 100 papers on neurodevelopmental factors related to infectious disease transmission, treatment engagement and outcome in vulnerable populations. His research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health since 1995, including multiple research project grants, an NIH-funded T-32 Drug Dependence Epidemiology Training Program and a State Department-funded Humphrey Fellowship Program. A primary focus of his research has been an examination of how variations in neuropsychological executive functions in adolescence and adulthood predict an array of health outcomes, including infectious disease transmission, incarceration and addiction. Latimer has conducted studies to prevent infectious disease transmission and promote health in adolescent and adult populations in the US, South Africa, Russia, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.

Public Health Minute

In 2013, Latimer founded Public Health Minute a radio show initially broadcast on Public Radio station member, WUFT at the University of Florida. The 60-second radio show is designed to translate current research findings from expert researchers to communities. The show was originally developed based on reports by the Institute of Medicine that evidence-based practices take 17 or more years to reach the public. The radio show provides advice on health-related issues to communities in real-time as research findings are published in scientific, peer-reviewed journals. Public Health Minute reaches 2.5 million listeners nationwide each week airing after Morning Edition and All Things Considered on Public Radio member stations, including WUFT (Gainesville, Florida), WVAS (Montgomery, Alabama), KBFT (Bois Forte Tribal, Minnesota), KUMD (Duluth, Minnesota), WTIP (Grand Marais, Minnesota), KGLT (Bozeman, Montana), KTXK (Texarkana, Texas), WOJB (Reserve, Wisconsin), WMSV (Mississippi State University, Mississippi), and WCBU (Peoria, Illinois).

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